To Melt a Heart of Stone
by happilyended
Summary: What will it take to melt Thorin Oakenshield's heart of stone? A fiery kindergarten teacher, an unexpected detour to another world, and a healthy dose of adventure will hopefully do the trick. Thorin/OC.
1. Lost and Found

**Author's Note: **Welcome lovely reader to my little fic. This idea grabbed ahold of me just before finals and tormented until it was penned. I hope that it provides you with as much entertainment as it has me. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I have no claim to Middle Earth, any of Tolkein's great writings, or the film's created by Warner Brother's, MGM and Peter Jackson, despite how long I linger there.

* * *

**Chapter One**: Lost and Found

To say that Thorin Oakenshield was proud would be an under-exaggeration. He was son of Thrain, son of Thror, King under the Mountain. He was a son of the line of Durin, descended from Thorin the Deathless; the only one with the right to enter the Lonely Mountain and reclaim the Arkenstone. His mere presence commanded respect. His gaze continuously assessed his surroundings and if they were worthy of his attention.

So you can imagine my dear reader, his immense embarrassment when he became lost. Despite his most fervent efforts, he could not locate the proper meeting place. He knew that he was in the Shire, specifically in some place called the East Farthing Woods. He cursed his carelessness, knowing that he was sure to be late to a very important party at the little house under the hill. However, his pride would not allow him to stop and ask for directions to Hobbiton, much less the little house, Bag End. So Thorin resigned himself to stomping along the path that wound between the hills and trees.

As he clomped along, his stamping left deep tracks in the dirt path. He cared little for stealth in this place. His mind more preoccupied with considered the wisdom of the quest he intended to attempt. It was folly and he doubted his sanity. How could he even endeavor to reclaim his homeland with just thirteen dwarves? Why had the wizard encouraged him to pursue this quest? It would surely be the death of him.

Yet, Thorin could not quench the fire that had been kindled. It burned at him, fueling his desire to see Erebor returned to its former glory. He knew that if he did not honor that flame, it would consume him. He would slowly waste away, never content, always guilty. Either he would die in stifling quite, or burn in the halls of his forefathers.

The decision was not a difficult one. That, however, did nothing to ease the foreboding in his heart. Instead of dwelling on the growing shadow, Thorin coaxed his drive into an inferno. He blotted out his unease for the determination he would need to succeed. Unfortunately, this also led to his increased impatience and irritation.

His urgency made him careless and then, he fell.

One small misstep sent him tumbling down the slope of a steep hill. The edge of Shire swirled into a blur. Tree branches snapped and lashed his face and arms. Suddenly it became wetter, darker. No matter how many rocks and trees struck him, he could not break his fall. Only a rough, rock road stopped him. Thorin blinked as two bright lights raced towards him. A loud screech then the darkness closed in and he remembered nothing more.

* * *

Ariana Ellison had always prided herself on being an excellent driver, particularly in rainy conditions. After a particularly long day with her twenty-seven brilliantly demanding kindergarteners, her weariness took control. The water droplets pelted her windshield, reflecting the highlights. The squeak of her wipers at perfect intervals created a consistent rhythm. The gentle hum of the heater lulled her into a comfortable stupor. She had driven the roads between her apartment and school hundreds of times. The familiarity, she was loathed to admit, generally resulted in frequent lapses in her attention. The only thing that saved her this particular night was a falling tree branch. Ariana took her foot from the gas and gasped. A bulky figure launched into the road, slamming hard onto the pavement. She stomped on the break, screaming as the tires squealed seeking traction. Her eyes widened as the car finally came to a stop, a mere five feet from the figure.

With shaking breaths and hands, Ariana put the car into park and leap out.

"Are you already? Excuse me, are you okay?" She shrieked, stumbling as she rounded the hood of the car.

She hesitantly approached what appeared to be a large burly man. When he didn't move, she hurriedly knelt next to him and pulled on his shoulder. Cradling his head, she awkwardly laid him on his back.

"Oh my God, oh my God," she chanted, shaking with adrenaline. As much as she detested sitting through first aid training, she was now thankful that it was required for her job.

She rested a twitching hand on his chest and leaned her ear to his open mouth. His breaths came shallow but even. She sighed with relief, looking at the man for the first time. Her breath caught again. Her hand had been gently laid on top of warm metal armor. The man was covered in it, with thick furs and a green cloak. Her eyes drifted to the very heavy looking sword buckled to his wait. Confusion and discomfort rose in her throat, but then she looked at his face.

Oh my. He was quite a handsome stranger. There was no denying that. Long dark hair splayed around his head, resting in puddles on the pavement. Water droplets fell onto his upturned face. She found herself wondering what color his eyes were, but promptly shook her head to clear it. This man was an utter stranger. Her natural distrust began to seem into her mind. Yet, it would be completely unacceptable to just leave him in the middle of the road, unconscious and vulnerable.

Chewing thoughtfully on her lip, Ariana made a decision. A rash, ridiculous decision that was contrary to her usual wariness of the unknown. Little did she now that that single decision would set in motion a series of events. These events would redirect the course of her life, weaving her into greater things.

Pulling out her phone, Ariana tapped the screen before holding it to her ear. "Hey Kate? So umm I'm having a bit of a situation." She tried to calm the wobble that had worked into her voice. "We are going to have someone staying with us for a bit. Mind helping me carry him up the stairs?"

* * *

"So tell me again why are we dragging an unconscious cosplayer into our apartment?" Kate grunted as they hefted the man up the last step.

Ariana still could not believe that she had managed to maneuver him into her car. She blamed the lingering adrenaline for giving her the strength to shove him into the back seat. Only as she was driving home did it occur to her how incredibly reckless her decision had been. She had no idea who this man was, or why he was in the middle of the road. Luckily for him, her compassion and curiosity continued to outweigh her sense. She berated herself for being so rash. Why did her blasted curiosity and compassion have to get in the way? Her little sister, Katherine, however was rather enjoying the adventure.

"Kate, you know that I couldn't just leave him," Ariana sighed as they turned into the hallway. "He would have frozen and gotten run over by a car!"

"Oh Ari, you know I'm kidding!" Kate laughed. "I mean for all we know, he lives in the woods in some sort of renaissance commune. You probably rescued him from it. I mean look at that sword!"

Ariana snorted as they approached the door. "Come on, let's just get him inside."

They shuffled into the apartment, dragging the man unceremoniously behind them. Somehow they managed to roll him, armor and all, into Ariana's room and flop him up onto the bed.

"So now what?" Kate asked. The man was quite a bit larger than Ariana filled up most of her bed. Ariana stared at him for a moment, still disbelieving that they had adopted him.

Ariana moved to the side of the bed and moved her hair away from her ear. She tilted her head and listened for his breath once again. Soft, warm air tickled her ear at regular intervals.

"Well, he seems to be fine," she said, stepping backwards. "I don't know about you, but I need a cup of tea."

* * *

Ariana settled onto the couch, comforted by the warm cup in her hands. She sipped carefully on the hot liquid, letting the calming smell of chamomile clear her head. Her eyes continued to stray back to the hallway that led to her bedroom. Her nose scrunched as she noticed the wet, muddy trail in the carpet. She was not looking forward to cleaning that. Kate sat next to her, disturbing her thought.

"So," Kate started, dunking her tea bag in the steaming water. "What are we going to do when the crazy guy wakes up?"

Ariana hummed thoughtfully, "I honestly hadn't gotten that far."

Kate turned to face her. "Okay, so let me get this straight. You pick up some armored guy off the side of the road and hadn't thought about what would happen when he actually wakes up?"

Ariana rolled her eyes. "Okay, yes I did!" She glanced at her sister, eyes narrowing. "You are just enjoying seeing me be the irresponsible one for once."

"You got me," Kate grinned unabashed. "I've been telling you for awhile now that it's high time that you bring home a man, but this was not what I had in mind."

Ariana opened her mouth to protest, but Kate raised her eyebrows. "Don't go denying that the guy is attractive. Well in a slay-the-dragon-save-the-princess kind of way. If you're into that kind of thing." She winked.

Ariana stood up and would have spilled her tea, if the cup had not been empty. "I need more tea." She trudged back into the kitchen, tactlessly avoiding her sister's teasing. Kate's snickers floated in from the living room.

Setting her cup by the sink, Ariana began chewing her lip, brow furrowing as her mind whirled. She mentally kicked herself. She had a horrible habit of chewing her lip when she was thinking too hard. It had always been too easy to tell when she was worrying or lying because of it. Yet despite her best attempts, she could not manage to break the pattern. She liked to believe that it came from her father, although he would always bite his tongue when angry or extremely focused.

A noise from the bedroom snapped her out of her thoughts. Ariana poked her head out of the kitchen and peered into the hallway leading to the bedrooms. The door to her room was cracked and not how she had left it. Her eyebrows slowly came together. She was sure that she had closed it completely.

"Hello?" She called softly. There was no response, sound or sign of movement. She now couldn't resist checking on their guest. She walked slowly down the hallway and pushed open the door.

The bed was empty. Only a dark water stain was left from where the man had been. Her mouth dropped open in her surprise. She took a step forward, but stopped when something cool pressed against her throat. Her breathing halted as panic gripped her throat.

A deep deadly voice whispered in her ear. "Do not move, if you value your life."


	2. Pointed Conversations

**Author's Note**: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! This is a short, little Christmas present to you all! :) I have been so pleased and surprised by the response to this story, so thank you all who read, favorited, followed and reviewed!

Related to the story: please note that in my version of Earth the LOTR/Hobbit books don't exist. Too many weird plot holes that I would rather avoid :) Now onto the story!

* * *

**Chapter Two**: Pointed Conversations

Ariana was sure her kindergarteners would have been impressed. Children of five and six were notoriously fidgety. To teach her students how to sit still, she had turned practice into a game. This game was called Wax Museum. One child was elected to be the night guard at a museum. All of the other participants would be the statues in the museum. Whenever the guard was not looking, the statues could move and change positions. Conversely, they must be completely still when the guard was looking at them. If the guard saw them move, they were eliminated from that round and would have to sit on the sidelines until the start of the next round. It was amusing to watch them try to control their little bodies, attempting look as statuesque as possible. Of course, she would then draw the connection between the game and school. There were times when it was appropriate to be wiggly and consistently moving, yet at school there are times when one must sit still. However, as much as they tried, the children were never able to be completely still for long.

If Ariana had been playing Wax Museum, she would have been safe. Unfortunately, she was not playing a game and the dagger at her throat was very, very real. She dared not breath, or even shift her glance to glimpse her attacker. Not that she needed to, she knew who it was.

"Where am I?" A shiver ran down Ariana's back at the rumble by her ear. The voice was so cold, so hard.

She opened her mouth, but she could not think of how to answer. Her brain refused to supply her with a response until a jarring, "Answer me!" made her jump and her mouth begin to babble.

"This is my apartment, my home. And you, sir, are being quite rude to the person that saved your unconscious ass from getting killed." The sharp press of the blade on her neck was a warning. She bit back another retort and closed her eyes. Curse her rambling, wickedly spirited tongue! At least if he was going to kill her, it would be quick.

"Who are you?" The edge in his voice had not lessened. It commanded her obedience.

"M..mmy my name is Ariana." She hated that she stuttered. The last thing that she wanted was to die weak and sniveling. She drew a deep breath and raised her chin. "I promise that I meant no harm. Honestly, I just wanted to help."

She could almost feel him falter. But then, she heard footsteps coming down the hall. "Everything okay Ari?"

Heat flooded Ariana and her urge to fight snarled to life. She would protect her sister. Stepping back hurriedly, she wheeled away from the knife. She placed herself in front of the open door, eyes flashing to the threat.

"Kate!" She called, trying to keep her voice level. "Stay where you are!"

For the first time, Ariana turned to mysterious, no-longer-unconscious man. She almost wished that she hadn't. He was intimidating. He was tall, at least a half a head taller than her, but it was his build that alarmed her more. He was no nerdy, skinny cosplayer. It appeared as though a much taller man had been squeezed into a shorter body, while still maintaining the same amount of muscle. He filled his armor and looked comfortable in the heavy materials. If he wanted to, he could probably squish her with his bare and very large hands.

"Ari?!" Kate's startled call snapped her back to reality and to her protective instinct.

Her knees bent and her arms moved to block his way. "I will not let you hurt my little sister." The virulence in her voice surprised her.

The declaration hung in the air. It seemed as though an eternity passed before his arms moved. She braced herself, but the dagger was plunged to a sheath on his belt compared to her throat. He straightened, no longer crouched to attack. It was only when Ariana looked into his eyes that it hit her. He must have been disoriented. Waking up in an unknown place, unable to remember what had happened, of course he had acted rashly. That, however, did not mean that he was harmless. She had seen the coldness in his eyes and knew that he would not hesitate to end her if she had posed any real threat.

Then she said perhaps the most unexpected thing yet. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

* * *

Ariana was at a loss. It would not often that she was completely ill at ease in a social situation and this was definitely once of those rare occasions. She glanced at her kitchen table. Her little sister sat across from the large man as he chewed on a piece of bacon. Shaking her head, she set the oily skillet in soapy water to soak. Leaving the dirty dishes for another time, she stalked over to the table.

"So…why are you wearing armor?" Kate was asking, chin placed thoughtfully in her hand.

A glare and an unintelligible grunt were the only response. Of course, Kate took this as her leave to continue her interrogation.

"Please don't tell me you are part of some nutty medieval commune. Cuz seriously, who wants to go run around in this damp, cold if they don't have to? Personally, I'm really not a fan of spring. It's too wet and cold and long. I keep telling Ari that we need to move south, but noooo she loves her kids too mu…"

"Kate!" Ariana hissed. Kate had a tendency to ramble when nervous, but then again she just really loved to talk. She turned her attention to their guest. "Alright, who are you? We've welcomed you into our home, the least you can do is give us a name."

His eyes slowly slid up to her face, deliberate and threatening. They were the color of a winter storm, blue, grey and cold. Defiance flared and Ariana promptly crossed her arms over her chest. Whenever she felt as though someone was attempting to bully her, it only solidified her resolve to not be intimidated. He seemed to notice and appeared torn between amusement and irritation.

"I am Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror," He growled, continuing to look directly at her.

Her eyes rolled involuntarily. "Well perfect now we know your grandda's name too." Ariana was unable to keep her sass from taking over. She was not pleased and sugar-coating it was completely unnecessary. "What I would really like to know is why you were in the middle of the road, oh and why you thought it would be polite to interrogate your rescuer at knife point!"

Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, visibly bristled at her tone. He did not like how she addressed him, but Ariana thought that was too bad. Besides, he had no right to complain. She was the wronged one, not him.

"I was on my way to a meeting of my kin," he answered cryptically. "I did not yet know if you were a friend or foe." He let the end of the sentence linger. It was obvious he was still uncertain if they were to be trusted or not.

"Oh that's easy, we are friends!" Kate responded easily, waving a hand to dismiss the subject. "Where was your family meeting? Maybe we can give you a ride there."

Ariana couldn't help but marvel at Kate's easy, kind nature. She often wished she shared her sister's good opinion of people compared to her natural suspicion. She still did not know what possessed her to reach out to a stranger in the first place. Blaming her protective, maternal instinct, she listened for his answer.

It was clear that Thorin was loath to reveal his destination; to Ariana, it was more apparent that he needed their help. "Hobbiton."

Ariana arched an eyebrow. That was a blatant lie if she ever heard one.

"Is that in Canada?" Kate asked innocently, making it very difficult for Ariana to not laugh outright.

"I've never heard of it," Ariana added, which seemed to compound his confusion.

"No, it's within the Shire. The land of the halflings?" He offered. When presented with shaking heads, he scoffed and reached for his glass. "I suppose it would be foolish to expect humans to have any knowledge of geography. They are never aware of those outside their own race."

Ariana snapped back against his condescending attitude, "Ha, that's rich!"

"What?" He seemed perplexed by her comment, but his tone remained heated.

"You heard me! We are all humans here, so don't try to act all high and mighty." Ariana spread her arms out to include all of them, before resettling them in front of her chest.

"I am no man," Thorin stood up so quickly, that the chair fell to the floor. "I am a dwarf!"

_Oh crap. _Ariana thought with a weary sigh. _We have taken in a crazy. _


	3. Sensory Overload

**Author's Note**: First off, Happy New Year's Eve from the USA! I wish you all a wonderful, safe and happy holiday! I can hardly believe that 2013 is already over! Secondly, I have intense author's anxiety about this chapter and was actually very hesitant about updating. It is from Thorin's POV and I am absolutely terrified of writing him poorly. I really hope that I do him proper justice and that he is written to you liking. Also, I included some Khuzdul (or what someone thinks if Khuzdul). It made sense to me that Thorin would think in his native language so I tried to capture some of that. The words are italicized and the definitions are in the footnotes.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Three**: Sensory Overload

It took a great deal to shake Thorin Oakenshield, and he was deeply shaken.

It had taken a half hour in front of the looking glass before he could even consider the fact that he become a human. He stared, trying to notice the changes. It seemed as though he had only grown larger than before, still maintaining stocky dwarf characteristics. He insisted on studying a measurement device, before agreeing that he was, in fact, much taller than any dwarf should be. Thorin calmed his mind by pondering the various ways that he would punish the wizard responsible for this trick. It was only then that sleep could reach him.

Wavering lines played behind his eyes, denouncing the heat that lingered nearby. His skin prickled and gooseflesh rose, but not from the temperature. He opened his mouth to call out, but flames roared into life around him. The inferno danced, casting shadows into the edges of his consciousness. Then the voices began. The piercing screams and chocked pleas of his people assailed his ears. They called for him to save them, avenge them, honor them. Trapped by the flaming prison, all Thorin could do was listen in agony.

An abrupt rap at the door tore him from his dreams. Sitting up with a gasp, it took Thorin a few moments to remember where he was and what had happened. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to wipe away the haunting dream. Every night since his decision to reclaim Erebor, this nightmare had plagued his mind. It would morph and shift, but the blazes and the cries remained.

The door creaked open, spilling light into the shadowed room. Thorin squinted as the brightness reached his eyes. Lifting his hand to block the glare, a head popped around the corner, the younger sister.

"Oh good, you are up." She said, easing halfway into the doorway. Thorin resisted the urge to snort; of course he was awake now. Foolish _caillin_. "I just wanted to let you know what the plan is for the day. I took the morning off work. That way we can just bum around here for a while, but I had to take the later shift. Ari couldn't get a sub today, so I'll just drop you off at Franklin Elementary. You can just watch her teach the kinders for a couple hours and then she will bring you back here once school is over."

Thorin blinked. What sort of language was this creature speaking? Despite the unfamiliar words, he still understood the message. He was being looked after, passed between hands like a child. He sighed harshly and his hand returned to his face. The girl was still looking at him, expectantly waiting for an answer. He glared at her in hopes that she could be threatened away. Her eyes widened and she shifted her weight, showing her discomfort. Yet, she refused to leave. Thorin finally nodded sharply to appease her. As predicted, she gave a toothy grin and shut the door.

Thorin fell back onto the bed, bouncing slightly. _Mahal, _he was going to be so late.

* * *

Thorin had been stubbornly determined to remain in the room all day. He desired neither the company of his hosts nor their mindless babble. Peaceful isolation would better serve him. Urgency pressed on his mind. His company would convene that evening, leaving him little time. He had trusted his arrival to be the first, but that possibility was no longer within reach. However, for the moment, he required rest. His limbs carried a new weight that had not been present before his fall. Eyes sliding shut, Thorin attempted to recapture sleep.

For a time, he was content to doze, wandering in a lazy trance. Slowly, his patience wore thin and the driving earnest returned. Nevertheless, he preferred to continue his self-inflicted seclusion. When he became tired of seeking sleep, he began to snoop. This was, perhaps, rather undignified for the King under the Mountain, yet his restlessness demanded a task. He chose the puzzle of the identity of his keepers.

Papers of various colors littered a large wooden desk. A stack of large books towered to one side. Glancing at them, Thorin recognized the runes used to write Common. While he was able to read the words, he could not determine their purpose. Incredibly detailed, precise paintings sat in frames on the wood surface. Never before had Thorin seen paintings such as these. It was as if the eye had taken a moment and frozen it in time.

Thorin picked up one of the frames that depicted the two _caillin_. The younger smiled as if directly at him, blue eyes twinkling with mirth and blonde hair obscuring part of her face. The older laughed at some unheard joke, head tossed back and dark hair fanning out like a halo. Though her eyes were closed with merriment, he remembered them glaring at him. Peering into them reminded him of smelting molten gold, both in color and ferocity. They had returned him to forges that had long since gone cold.

Shaking his head, Thorin refocused his attention to his surroundings. Decorations hung on the walls, but they puzzled him greatly. Intricate carvings, crudely painted pieces of metal, an odd flowered tapestry, they were completely unfamiliar to him. The creak of the door caused him to spin around, hand automatically reaching Deathless' hilt.

The older _caillin_ raised her hands as she walked purposefully into the room. "Relax," she had noted his grip on his weapon. "I just need to grab a couple of things for work."

She navigated through the messy desk with ease, pulling out a few chosen papers. It was only then that Thorin realized that this must be her room. That would explain the cheap decorations.

As she gathered the needed documents, Thorin became transfixed with what she was wearing. It was the most bizarre thing he had ever seen. Something sheer and black stretched across each of her legs, which was odd enough. The dark flowing skirt was more recognizable, except it only reached her knees. How could something so disgraceful be acceptable? She wore a golden knit scarf and chemise of deep burgundy. The yarn had been colored with remarkable accuracy. Outside of elf handiwork, he had never seen such precise fabric. Her face was painted with kohl and rouge. A few hairs escaped the knot at the back of her head, curling around her neck. Never before had he seen a female dress so. The customs in this place must surely be primitive if such array was deemed tasteful.

Breaking his gaze, Thorin straightened. Sniffing, he returned to his scrutiny of a particularly odd painting. A large wave poised to crash onto a small boat. A single peak stood in the background capped with snow. The style was hardly realistic; the colors stood in sharp contrast against each other. It would hardly have been fit to grace the servants' quarters of Erebor, thus he judged it a worthless piece of art.

"That's one of my favorites," the _caillin_ had noticed his gaze. She looked at the piece with fondness as a memory stirred. "I've always loved Japanese woodblock prints, but Hokusai is by far my favorite artist. I actually got to see some originals when I was in Tokyo." She turned, smiling slightly. "Actually, most everything in here is from somewhere that I've travelled. China, Haiti, France, England, South Africa…" She pointed out various items scattered around the room with what must have been their corresponding location.

She snapped out of her wistful reverie. "Breakfast's on the table," Returning to her usual impertinent manner, she turned on her heel and left.

Thorin recognized none of the places she had supposedly visited. Just where was he? This question was to be explored further at a later time. His hunger overpowered his determination to remain isolated and he followed after her.

* * *

Thorin had decided he preferred impertinence to inquisitiveness.

The younger _caillin_, Kate as she preferred to be called, consistently spewed questions. She wanted to know everything. She reminded him of a toddler who had just discovered how to form a question. Her favorite seemed to be the most dreadful, "why?" The _caillin_ obviously thought that the best way to spend the morning was to bombard him with questions about every possible subject. She asked again about his armor, where did he get it, what was it made out of, did it actually protect him or was it for decoration. She asked about his family, his home, the way he spoke, the fact that he wore his boots inside. Of course, she also answered any question that he would not answer herself. Her speeches were so long they must have been rehearsed. Even during lunch, her stream of speaking remained uninterrupted.

"Do you have any pets?" Thorin glared back at her, contemplating the merits of silent _mraane_. "We had a cat growing up, but then Ari developed allergies so we had to get rid of him. Broke her heart that she was the reason he had to go. Really sad, but then we….Oh look at the time! We need to get going!"

Thorin made no effort to conceal his relief.

The _caillin_ led him through winding halls and flights of stair until they reached a vast stone carven. It was beneath the ground and filled with colorful, metal carriages. They were all placed between painted yellow lines, surprisingly organized for _Baram _handiwork. Approaching one carriage, the _caillin_ pressed a button and a flash of light responded. Thorin faltered. What kind of magic was this?

"Well come on then!" The _caillin_ waved a hand beckoning him. "It's not like the car is going to hurt you."

Thorin hesitantly approached the door. He slid a hand over the smooth metal and gripped the handle. The door opened easily. Glancing suspiciously at the interior, he slowly eased into the seat. The _caillin_ grinned at him, likely enjoying his unease. He slammed the door with a growl.

"All right. Here we go!" The _caillin_ put the key into the keyhole and turned it. The carriage roared. One of Thorin's hands went to his Deathless, the other clamped onto the armrest. Was this a living creature? The roar tempered to a gentle rumble and Thorin's eyes widened. It was a machine. He watched transfixed as the _caillin_ worked the machine fluidly, causing it to move. His dual death grip did not lessen as they rolled through the cavern. They reached the opening then moved into the light. As they emerged, Thorin barely managed to stifle a gasp.

Never before had he seen such a place. Metal sprouted out of the ground, topped with tri-colored lights. Bright signs in Common marked storefronts. Brick and stone buildings littered the pavement. Everything was bright and unfamiliar holding no similarities to the woods he had traversed the night before. It was as if he has stepped into another time, another world.

Thorin leaned forward, his heart racing. What was this place? New sights overwhelmed him. The carriage, car he amended, continued to rumble. A strange rhythmic music flowed out of it and green numbers shown in front of him. The _caillin_ had recommenced her chatter, commenting on the gathering clouds.

Thorin shut his eyes, trying to dull the assault on his sense. He returned to thoughts of escape and of returning familiar woods. Despite his fervency, he could do little to quell the sensory overload. What had _Mahal_ gotten him into?

* * *

**Author's Note**: As far as the Khuzdul goes, I found the words from various websites. I am no dwarrow scholar so let me know if any of it is incorrect! Here are the translations:

_Caillin_ = lass or girl

_Mraane _= women, womenfolk

_Baram_ = men, mankind, humans

If anyone is curious, the painting on Ariana's wall is _The Great Wave off Kanagawa _by Hokusai.

I would really love to update tomorrow for New Year's, but we shall see if my muse allows it. I'm off to the UK during January (cue happy dance), so I have been trying to get ahead with this story. This way I will weekly updates while I am abroad, but I won't have much time to write sooo writing ahead it is! Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts on the chapter! Much love xx


	4. Boiling Over

**Author's Note: **Another chapter yaay! I'm seriously so thankful for everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed or read this story. Seriously, it just makes me happy :) You are all wonderful! I'm trying to settle into a once a week update while I am off in the UK and then returning and starting a new semester. So expect to hear more about Ariana and Thorin next week!

* * *

**Chapter Four**: Boiling Over 

As childish squeals of delight finally left her classroom, Ariana plopped down into her chair. The long awaited arrival of spring combined with the approaching weekend made for an excited bunch of students. She fervently hoped that they would tire themselves on the playground before returning for the second half of the day. Grabbing her lunch, she munched on her sandwich while hurriedly pouring over her plans for the afternoon. Friday afternoons were always fairly easy. Since her students had been particularly good that week, they would go outside for an extra treat at the end of the day. They had only to focus on story time, a short reading lesson and sing a couple songs before the freedom of "Friday Funday".

Half-eaten sandwich abandoned, Ariana reached for another stack of papers. Her eyes flicked over the lesson plan again, ensuring that she had forgotten nothing. Content that everything was in order, she returned to her desk and to the song lyrics before her. If she had to sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider one more time, she would go mad. To save her sanity, her students needed to learn a new song.

Ariana softly whispered the lyrics to herself. Her hands twitched in her lap before lifting and ghosting through the motions that accompanied the words. Knuckled rapped on her door causing Ariana to jump. Startled and embarrassed she turned to see Kate and their grumpy guest standing by the door. A flush crept across her cheeks when stormy eyes met hers. Ariana huffed crossly and diverted her gaze, busying herself by shuffling the papers on her desk.

Kate flounced across the room, leaving Thorin in the doorway. The heavy tread of boots trailed slowly after her as his eyes flittered around the room. Ariana watched his eyes narrow and absorb the colorful decorations. The reactions of visitors to her room always amused her. Very few people understood the layout of the space. They failed to see the play area, or the reading nook, or the charm of her tattered world rug.

Kate continued over to Ariana's desk and leaned over to give her a hug. Thorin disappeared behind a veil of blonde hair as Kate whispered in her ear. "Okay, so I think something is seriously up with his guy. Like he's from a different planet or something."

"Kate," Ariana reprimanded sternly, pulling out of the hug. Her teacher-side took over and explained, "That's not kind."

"No, not like he has mental issues or anything, but he acted like he had never seen a car before! He doesn't like to talk either. My theory is that he was raised in the wilderness for some experiment. Or maybe he has travelled through time from the Dark Ages or whatever."

Ariana rolled her eyes. "He probably just hit his head really hard or something. He'll snap out of it soon enough." Louder this time, she said, "Time for you to go to work little sister. I'll see you later tonight."

Kate, however, couldn't resist one last, whispered joke. "Just don't lose yourself in those dreamy blue eyes, 'kay?" She turned on her heel, walking purposefully toward the door. Deliberately winking over her shoulder, Kate slipped out of the room.

Ariana pursed her lips and bit back a retort. As if she would be losing herself in anything! Huffing, she noticed Thorin regarding her quizzically. Involuntarily, she returned his gaze with a scowl. She would show Kate that she was no silly swooning girl. It would take more than a nice pair of eyes to win her over.

"Welcome to Ms. Ellison's Kindergarten classroom," She said, overdramatically sweeping her arms out in a welcoming gesture. "The kids are at lunch then they have recess. So we have some peace and quiet until they return."

He merely continued his examination of the room. Ariana flushed, this time with anger. The world map rug was obviously more important than good manners, or at least it captured more of his attention.

"Goodness you are just like my kids," Ariana muttered wearily into a hand. Raising her head, she called across the room, the picture of a cross teacher. "Would it kill you to acknowledge that you heard me?"

Leisurely, Thorin pivoted and lifted his head. He stared at her patronizingly, as if appeasing a foolish child. Ariana's jaw clenched. So, he was still insistent on remaining as silent as possible. _Well, two can play at that game_, she thought wryly.

"I have a few things to get together for the afternoon, so feel free to poke around." A painfully fake smile flashed across her face earning her the slightest of frowns.

Ariana settled down at her desk again, pretending to rifle through her calendar. More than anything, she simply wanted to see what he would do. Observing him would likely provide entertainment. He mockingly dipped his head, the smallest of bows. Straightening, he meandered about the room. Occasionally he would stop and scrutinize something on the wall. Her world map rug seemed to grab his attention for a time, until he noticed the little tables and chairs. She watched as he read the laminated student nameplates, complete with the alphabet, numbers and colors.

His eyes flicked to her and she could see a question forming. "You instruct children?" He asked with a hint of incredulity that instantly set her on the defensive.

"No, I teach pigs how to fly." Her sarcasm fell on unappreciative ears, which disappointed her. "Of course I teach children! Why else do you think that I spend my days at a school?"

His face scrunched. For some reason, this information perplexed him. Struggling to maintain her annoyance, Ariana chose to ignore this. Casting her mind for a physical distraction, her eyes settled on a stack of student artwork. Suddenly stapling paper to the wall seemed incredibly fascinating.

Snatching a stapler, Ariana stomped over to the wall titled "Ms. Ellison's Smartest Artests". The sharp snap of the staples biting into the corkboard mollified her frustration. The task so gripped her that she failed to notice him behind her until she turned around.

Jumping, a polite, "oh, you scared me," escaped her. Then she remembered that her determination to snub him. Promptly, Ariana continued to put crayon renditions of Picasso's works on the wall.

He sniffed, turning his nose up at the drawings. Ariana's eyes widened. _How dare he!_

"Is there a problem?" She asked, hissing as the stapler stubbornly refused to cooperate.

"I merely doubt the integrity of your qualifications to tutor the children of others."

Ariana rounded on the infuriating man, ready to verbally pommel him into the floor, when the bell rang. Her eyes darted to the door as her charming, exceedingly noisy four and five year olds spilled into the classroom. Twenty-seven sets of eyes found Thorin, widened and the barrage of questions began.

Ariana sighed, steeling herself for what was sure to be a long afternoon.

* * *

An eternity could have passed, but Ariana was sure that afternoon would have endured.

Thorin's presence only multiplied the children's excitement and it took a good deal of time before they were capable of focusing. Quickly they began asking questions about their relationships. Before the rumors took an awkward turn, Ariana told them that he was a distant relative who was in town to perform in a play. He had come by to observe her class in between shows, which was why he was still in costume. Of course, her wonderfully gullible children had immediately accepted her fib. She hated lying to them, but it harmed less than the truth. Besides, she barely understood the circumstances of his arrival herself, how could she manage to simplify it for her students.

It took playing the "Ants in My Pants" song twice before the children had danced all their wiggles away. This allowed Ariana to settle them into a story. She pulled out a personal favorite and an instant class request. It told the charmingly simple story of a bear who had lost his hat. The students assisted her in following the bear on his quest to reclaim his beloved hat, eventually finding that a rabbit had stolen it. Luckily, she could recite the book in her sleep since her mind drifted elsewhere. The nagging sensation of being watched itched at her scalp. Thorin had not taken his eyes from her since she began the lesson.

He sat at the back of the room like a solitary cloud, moody and persistent. His staring unnerved her. He just sat there, scrutinizing her surely. Her temper flared. Who was he to judge her? As if he had any right to determine if she was an effective teacher or not. He had probably never even worked with children before; much less teach them to do something useful. It was impossible to determine what exactly occupied his thoughts. It was undeniably negative, but she could not read him. Perhaps this was part of the reason he irritated her so much. Most people were fairly easy to understand, but he remained indecipherable.

It was a relief to finally release her children onto the playground. They shrieked gleefully, starting games of tag and tetherball. Ariana parked herself behind the swings. She gently pushed the backs of her students as they swung back and forth. This was her preferred vantage point as it allowed her to see the entire playground at once. Usually this meant that she could see which students misbehaved and thus respond with gentle, but pointed reprimands. Today, however, it allowed her to watch some of her braver, bolder kids attempt to interact with a certain ill-tempered man.

A few of her most conniving boys had quickly noticed his sword. Subsequently, they had gravitated to him like flies to honey. They practically drooled with big eyes glued on the weapon. This drew a small smile from Ariana, unable to contain her amusement. Thorin appeared to be somewhat pleased as well, letting the boys touch the hilt. To her relief, he refused to unsheathe it. At least he had some sense, even if he was just humoring them to fill his ego.

From where they stood by the monkey bars, she could hear the children launching into their numerous questions that had not been answered by her meager explanation of his presence. Surprisingly, most of these questions received answers. Rarely did her questions receive such unguarded responses. More often than not, he graced her with not response at all.

"How old are you?" The class jokester asked.

"I am one hundred and eight," was the prompt response.

Ariana frowned and so did her students. The kids were quick to supply unnecessary information related to their own ages, saying, "Well I'm five and a half!" "I'm almost six!" "My birthday is in September!"

Ariana, on the other hand, fumed silently. She could not stand people who patronized kids. They were delightfully innocent at this age and it irked her when their trusting natures were abused. She has lost count of the number of times parents told their children outlandish stories, shadowing the truth. The delicate line between simplifying reality and altering it blurred for most adults. Often this stemmed from a belief that hiding a child from the world will maintain their naivety, thus justifying the innocent lies. Ariana, however, firmly believed that lying would only teach distrust. She much preferred teaching children truth and equipping them to navigate the complexities of the world.

The ring of the last bell of the day floated from the school building. Ariana called to her class, instructing them to line up. She walked to the edge of the playground, just before the tallest slide. Her line leaders already stood at attention, proud of their role and taking it quite seriously. The other students filtered towards the line, preparing to go to the buses.

As the last children wandered over, Thorin came to stand beside Ariana. Turning, she led her students along the sidewalk, making for the parking lot. In her first year of college, Ariana had perfected the art of walking backwards. She had worked as a tour guide and thankfully the skill continued to prove useful. As she walked, eyes on her class, her irritation continued to boil at the heavy clomping to her left. As much as she tried, a question blurted out of her rebellious mouth.

"Why did you lie to the kids about your age?"

He merely lifted an eyebrow at her, silently demanding further explanation.

"There was no point in lying, especially since they have no concept of age beyond adult and child. You really shouldn't tease them with such seriousness. They'll believe almost anything you say."

"The average life expectancy of a dwarf is two-hundred and fifty years," he told her bluntly. "It is not uncommon for a healthy dwarf to live to be three-hundred."

"Riiiight. If you're a hundred and eight, then I've got to be what? At least, eighty." The taunting comment was unnecessary, but the fault was his for making it far too easy.

He snorted. He actually snorted at her! "Hardly. Humans are far more fleeting. By dwarf standards, you would be the same age as the children you teach."

"I am not a child," she hissed. "And I am perfectly capable of performing my duties as a teacher."

Just then, a student at the back of the line screamed, shrilly. Ariana sighed. _Thank God it's Friday._

* * *

Ariana decided that Thorin's moodiness was infectious. A frown had worked its way across her face over the afternoon and by the time dinner finished it had solidified. The drive home and time spent preparing dinner had been purposefully taciturn. Thorin seemed to be content with the silence and for the first time, Ariana agreed with him. She had resolved to give the horrid man a rather excellent silent treatment. Then she remembered his comment about her age and decided that she wanted to be anything but childish. To avoid complete silence, she hummed and sang softly, a happy medium of noise, but devoid of communication.

Clearing empty soup bowls off the table, Ariana shuffled them to the sink. As she washed up, she began to consider what to do for the rest of the evening. Kate shift at the restaurant wouldn't be done until later, but it was much too early to go to bed. Seeing as it was a Friday night, Ariana determined that a movie would do her good.

Drying her hands, Ariana noticed Thorin resumed his observation of her. Resisting yet another eye roll, she deemed it acceptable to break the silence for a bit.

"Kate will be at work till later, so I think I'll pop in a movie. You're welcome to watch too if you like." Ariana didn't bother waiting for a response, knowing that there wouldn't likely be one.

Purposefully, she walked into the living room, stopping before the sparse collection of DVDs. Fingers dancing in front of the titles, she decided an episode of _Pride and Prejudice_, Colin Firth and a cup of tea would be perfect. She pushed the disk into the player, turned on the TV then flittered back into the kitchen to put some water on to boil. The obnoxiously loud commercials began playing, making Ariana wince. Kate had obviously watched something last, since only she turned the volume that loud.

It was only when Ariana heard a huge crash did she realize that Thorin was no longer in the kitchen. He had followed her into the living room and remained there.

Ariana ran into the other room as she heard a second crash. "What is going on in here?" She asked as she rounded the corner.

Thorin froze, sword unsheathed, extended from his shoulder and poised at the TV. His face relaxed from a snarl, to an undoubtedly confused frown. Ariana turned her attention to the TV and gasped. Two huge gashes were cut into the screen as if someone had chopped at it. Her eyes darted back to the perpetrator, narrowing dangerously.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" She yelled, starting forward and pointing at the TV. "D-did you really just attack my TV?"

Thorin's expression changed from puzzled to defensive, but he did lower his sword. "The box has been enchanted. There was some type of spell on it…"

"Like hell there was!" Ariana cut him off, fists clenching. "I mean what is your problem?! The TV isn't magical, its just electricity! A very expensive electrical box!"

Thorin continued to glare at her, no remorse or even understanding crossing his features. "I only thought to protect myself and you from the witchcraft that was placed on the box." His inadequate explanation only fueled her fury.

"You do you think you are?" Ariana exploded, jabbing a finger into his shoulder. She didn't care that he still held the sword in his hand; her anger overpowered her caution. "You come in here acting all high and mighty. Judging me for being a teacher, protecting me from my 'enchanted' TV, just moping around, glaring and you won't even give a proper thank you to the person who saved your life!" She gave him a shove for good measure.

His eyes blazed, remaining stationary despite her attempt to move him. He simply clenched his jaw, refusing to respond to her barbs. Ariana glowered up at him, their toes nearly touching. Stormy blue eyes met golden brown, a tempest against an inferno. A beat passed, and Ariana knew that he would remain immovable.

"Ugh!" She threw up her hands in frustration. "That's it, I'm going to bed." She turned on her heel, flicking her hair in his face before stomped back to her room. To further emphasize her exasperation, she slammed the door behind her.

For the next hour, Ariana pouted. She knew that it was immature of her, but she couldn't help herself. Turning up her music, she flopped onto her bed. Then, she pondered what she would say to Thorin when he apologized. She entertained herself by playing out scenario after scenario; in each one, she immerged the victor of the little fight.

By the time the hour had passed, Ariana's patience was dwindling. Chewing her lip, she glanced at the clock compulsively. Kate wouldn't be home for another hour yet. She rolled herself up with a sigh. Shuffling to the door, she turned the knob as quietly as she could. She cracked the door and peered out, seeing little except for the light coming from the living room. She tiptoed down the hall. Hopefully, he would be fast asleep and she could just check on him.

Creeping round the corner, Ariana found only pieces of the destroyed TV and the usual clutter in the room. Her brow furrowed. Where had he gone? No longer attempting stealth, she flitted into the kitchen, then the bathroom, hallway and Kate's room. She even looked in her room again for good measure. Standing dumbly in the middle of her apartment, Ariana finally put the pieces together, her stomach growing heavy at the conclusion.

Thorin was gone.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

You may have noticed I changed the ages of the dwarves. In the book, Thorin is supposedly 195 at the time of the journey, which makes him the oldest member of the company. Supposedly, dwarves averagely live to be 250, so I guessed a really old dwarf would be 300. Just like humans averagely live to be 82 (or so I've heard) but there are a few who live much longer than that.

I modified the ages to mirror the movies more than the book, although I made Thorin a bit younger. I felt this fit his pride and occasional rashness. Of course, it all doesn't work out perfectly (with the ages of his nephews and whatnot), but that is the beauty of fanfiction.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Much love! xx


	5. Liquid Honesty

**Author's Note**: A thousand apologies for the inexcusable delay for this chapter! Seriously, there are no excuses, but there are very good reasons. I have been far busier than expected while abroad. Luckily, I have managed to ignore my lesson planning to bring you all another chapter. FYI: Unfortunately, I likely will be unable to update until I am back home again in a couple weeks ;_;

BUT I am so SO thankful that so many people are reading this story. It truly means so much to me to have your follows, favorites and reviews! I truly enjoy hearing from you! I love you all! Without further ado…

* * *

**Chapter 5: **Liquid Honesty

Ariana should have felt overjoyed. She should have been thankful to be rid of the infuriating man. Thorin had been critical, harsh and just plain rude. He was hardly the enjoyable type of person to have over for dinner. They had only just met, yet somehow he understood exactly how to provoke her. His pride made him immovable; a mountain would bend more easily than him.

Despite all of these truths, Ariana could not shake the weight that had settled in her gut.

Her sense of duty reared its valiant head and as much as Ariana wanted to deny it, she felt responsible for him. Though he would never admit it, she saw that he knew little of functioning in modern society. He may not be defenseless, but that did not make him competent.

Her teeth tugged at her lower lip, ridges forming on her forehead. Two options were before her, but only one would ease the pit unease in her stomach. Sighing, Ariana pulled out her phone and punched in Kate's number. She supposed that a call would be more effective than a text in this circumstance. It went straight to voicemail as expected; Kate turned off her phone at work.

"Hey, um so Thorin's gone missing. I'm going to go out and look for him. I'll let you know when I find him," She went to hang up, but then added, "Oh and the TV is busted, but I'll tell you all about that later. Talk to you soon."

Phone in hand, she stomped over to the closet. She shoved her arms in the sleeves of her coat then jammed her phone and keys in her pocket. Zipping a pair of black boots up to her ankles, Ariana pushed the door open, then quickly trotted down the hallway. A few turns and a flight of stairs found her stepping out onto the street.

Ariana preferred not to admit that they lived in the artsy part of town. Young idealists flocked to the area drawn by the scent of coffee and the gentle strum of acoustic guitars. Tattoo parlors, tearooms, themed bars and dimly lit shops littered the streets. In an attempt to avoid the mainstream, everyone in Uptown ended up conforming to a new norm. Beanies, skinny jeans, tats, and thick glasses paraded through the streets. Situated between casual apathy and uninhibited passion, the section of the city ebbed and flowed to its own current.

Even though she regularly ridiculed the place and its inhabitants, Ariana thrived in the lively community. There was never a dull night, if excitement was wanted. Bars and restaurants teemed with people on the weekends. Every night a different coffee shop had live music. Periodically, poetry readings or book clubs popped up, though Ariana detested them as they were too overdramatic for her taste. The local bookshop suited her better. On the rare occasion, Kate would drag her along to a play, but those times were fortunately infrequent.

Ariana had no idea where Thorin would go in this neighborhood. Now standing on the sidewalk, she looked up and down the street. After determining that it was safe, she jogged across. The neon lights of the hub of Uptown caught her attention. Logically, he would go towards the most populous and active area in sight. She started forwards, following the road south, away from her apartment.

Dodging past a group of particularly loud walkers, Ariana heard a snippet of conversation that made her stop and turn around.

"Excuse me!" She called, raising a hand to get the attention of the bearded man in a brown hat. "Did you say something about a medieval looking guy?"

"Yeah," he responded, turning and stopping to talk to her. "There was some guy with the whole getup walking down the middle of the street."

"Where was he?" She asked, knowing instantly the identity of the armored man.

"Right around here, but that was over an hour ago," her urgency seemed to confuse the stranger, but Ariana could care less.

"But he was walking towards the hub?" She asked, jerking a thumb behind her.

His beard quivered as he nodded. "Yeah."

"Wonderful," she breathed, before raising her voice and calling a quick thanks.

Turning on her heel, Ariana doubled her pace. Her legs stretched as her mind absorbed the information. If he had been seen an hour ago, then Thorin had to have left immediately after their fight. There was no telling where he could have gone in the elapsed time, but if her luck held, there might be a trail to track.

* * *

Ariana scouted about the first three blocks of the hub with little success. She quickly received numerous startled, suspicious and downright humorous reactions to her questions. No one had seen the huge dark-haired man in armor.

Ariana cracked her knuckles, hands tucked safely away in her warm pockets. Thankfully, the spring evenings carried only a pleasant chill. The volume of people navigating the streets gradually increased as she searched. The gentle glow of the streetlamps against the darkness sharpened as the night progressed. The emotional drain of the day pressed on the back of her eyes, warning that the day's exertions would soon catch her.

Rubbing her fists into her eyes, Ariana racked her brain. There must be a more efficient way to find him. Where did he want to go? Home, that much was obvious. But how would he have gone about getting there? A few good smacks on the forehead roused her muddled brain. Finally Ariana's eyes snapped open. _Of course! _She thought, berating her stupidity after the realization. Looking around, Ariana got her bearings. Hurrying in the right direction, she hoped that her deduction had been correct.

Thorin wanted nothing more than to return to wherever it was that he had come from. A crazy man walking down the middle of the road, surely someone would have offered him help. He would have asked for the place where he had been found, the woods. Well no one would have thought that he literally wanted directions to a bunch of trees, so they would have sent him to the next most logical place.

The Forest was a cozy little bar with a north woods theme. A fire roared in the center of a brick wall, regardless of the season. Heavy beams of wood stretched across the ceiling and the remaining walls. A massive moose head saw all from his place high above the tables. A few times, Ariana had even seen the bartender wearing a red and black flannel. Overall, she didn't hate the place, an honor which could not be said for many a bar and restaurant in the area.

Warm air blasted Ariana as she stepped into The Forest. The abnormally high noise level made her wince. The blaring music was typical, but the shouts and whoops were unfamiliar. People buzzed everywhere, like the hallways after the school day ended.

_There must be a game or something._ Ariana mused absentmindedly, dismissing the unusual bustle. Squinting in the dim light, she renewed her search. She scanned for long dark hair, hoping that Thorin was standing so she could see him over the crowd. A sudden unanimous cheer rose up from the far end of the bar. Ariana rose to the tips of her toes, trying to see the cause of the excitement.

Nudging a taller man nearby, Ariana asked, "What's going on over there?"

"Some dudes are trying to drink each other into the ground," he said, peering over sea of heads.

Ariana rolled her eyes. She had always found drinking games to be foolish and dull.

"Although," his voice barely cut through the surrounding noise, "One of them is all dressed up for the Renaissance Fair or something. He's about six months too early."

Ariana could hardly keep her mouth from hanging open. Elbows at the ready, she waded through the crowd in a not so polite manner. She shoved her way forward, calling a few half-hearted apologies. Without warning, she broke through the human wall and stumbled into an opening.

The crowd surrounded three incredibly large men sitting at the counter. A smattering of various sized glasses before them showed the reason for the applause. Ariana's eyes widened to the size of small dinner plates as she watched Thorin drain his drink. He was the first the slam the glass onto the wood, beating the two other men. This earned him more congratulatory cheers and slaps on the back.

Ariana stood, gaping stupidly at the scene before her. Of all places, she never expected to find Thorin entangled in the middle of a drinking competition. She watched as he roared in triumph, turning to his fans with a raised fist. As his competitors finished their own drinks, he turned and thumped them heavily on their shoulders. A genuine smile spread across his face, crinkling the corners of his eyes. He listened to an unheard comment from one of his drinking buddies. It must have amused him as his shoulders lifted in a soft chuckle. It was only when stormy blue grey eyes locked with hers that she realized she had been staring.

Flushing madly, Ariana weakly raised a hand in greeting. Sudden embarrassment made her shy and wary. She stepped forward, still pinned under Thorin's gaze.

"Thorin," the name hung as a statement, but of what Ariana was unsure.

Thorin swallowed and licked his lips, but his new friends were quicker to act. They glanced between the two of them, a sly look on their faces.

Laughing, they howled, "Now that explains why he was such a mess! Alright kids, time to make up!"

Ariana opened her mouth to protest, realizing the misinterpretation of their relationship. The two men pushed Thorin off his stool and the crowd swept around the two of them. In a blink, Ariana found herself deposited in small table at the back of the bar. Thorin appeared across from her, looking particularly discombobulated. Beers materialized in front of each of them, followed by a basket of fries an instant later.

Ariana blinked blankly, her mind slowly processing what had happened. Thorin seemed to be doing much of the same thing, but looked far more irritated. Glancing at him, her embarrassment returned as she remembered the last time they had talked. They sat in silence. Each second felt as long as a minute.

She inhaled, attempting for force an apology for the sake of harmony. In the end, she managed to say, "I'm glad I found you. You had me worried."

Thorin's eyes flicked to hers, surprise playing across his features. Hesitantly, he nodded stiffly.

He cleared his throat and Ariana couldn't suppress her astonishment when he spoke. "I should not have attacked your magic box. My apologies."

Not only had he spoken to her, he had also admitted his own fault. Her eyebrows rose, unable to understand his sudden change. As she watched him reach for the glass before him, a new realization hit her. While he may not be stumbling and was perfectly coherent, the alcohol must be affecting him. A lovely, mischievous, though slightly manipulative idea formed in her head as he took a swig of the drink. A moment before, she would readily have left as soon as possible, but now she could not resist a bit of mischief.

Her eyes shined as she pushed forward the basket. "Fry?" she offered.

Thorin skeptically scrutinized the greasy food. Ariana couldn't resist an eye roll.

"It's not poisoned or anything. Look," plucking a fry from the pile, she popped it into her mouth. She shot him a look while deliberating chewing.

Gruffly, he picked one and followed her lead. Ariana could not resist testing to see if her plan would work.

"So tell me," she began, placing a hand beneath her chin. "What really happened the night that I found you?"

Two dark eyebrows moved together. "You were present. Do you not know what happened?"

"Humor me," Ariana persisted, unwilling to reveal her true reason for pressing him.

"I traveled through the Shire, to a meeting of my kin in Hobbiton. The fourteenth member of our company lives there. I fell and then awoke to find myself under your care. Truly, there is nothing more that I can remember."

Ariana sighed, disappointed. It was the same story, even after God knows how many drinks.

Thorin, however, had not finished speaking. "_Mahal_, they must worry for me. I was meant to join them tonight," he paused to chuckle darkly. "I imagine my sister's sons will be restless by now, even Balin will be growing uneasy."

Ariana perked up, wondering if her luck may still hold. She would relish any information gather from the stoic man. "You have a sister?"

Thorin nodded. The fries were continuously being stuffed into his mouth now. "Dis is the greatest dwarven lady to ever grace the halls of Erebore!" He raised his half-empty glass in a toast. Ariana raised an eyebrow and complied.

"A proud brother then?" She prompted, sipping her beer.

"The proudest. Truly, my elder sister is more fearsome than I could ever hope to be. Her bravery is known to all, as is her temper. She has far to great a love for order," He chuckled heartily, reminiscing. "_Mahal_ played a proper joke by giving her two of cheekiest boys in the Blue Mountains."

Ariana hummed receptively, munching on another fry. "Tell me about them."

This small request proved enough to launch Thorin into detailed accounts of the numerous misadventures of his nephews. As Ariana listened, she found smiles easily lingering on her lips at Thorin's blatant affection for his family. His voice led her to far away mountains and a city called Ered Luin. There were notes of discontent as he spoke of the place. It seemed to be a replacement for it did not hold his heart. She wished to ask about his own hometown, but quickly forgot in the midst of entertaining stories. Her fascination deepened as he spoke of tunnels deep beneath the earth filled with natural treasures waiting to be mined. The life he spoke of was so different from anything she knew. It danced into her mind and captivated her imagination.

"…they are both good lads," Thorin's low unrelentingly speech continued. "Fili is sensible enough, when he needs to be. He will make a fine king one day. Of that I am sure. I fear the ill effects of Kili's recklessness. He has inherited too many of his uncle's traits…"

Thorin's oratory ended abruptly as his eyes dropped to the table. He lost his thoughts in an onslaught of memories.

"His uncle?" Ariana prompted calmly. By this point, she had become adept at inserting small encouragements to propel the one-sided conversation.

Thorin inhaled sharply as if it pained him. "My brother, Frerin."

"Oh! I didn't realize you have a brother as well," Ariana was feeling incredibly pleased. She had acquired far more information than she had bargained for. Leaning forward eagerly, she waited for him to begin another round of stories.

Thorin grimaced and corrected her, "Had a brother." He lifted his glass, quickly draining the remaining liquid.

Realizing that she had touched a delicate subject, she pushed her own beer forward. "What happened to him?" She asked softly, unsettled by her sympathy.

Thorin seemed mildly bewildered as well, although he did take the offered drink. He raised it to her before taking another sip. Only after a healthy pause did he provide any further explanation. "My younger brother was too clever for his own good. He was quick to act, but this often made him rash. A brilliant fighter, even at a young age, however he let his emotions govern his decisions."

Ariana nodded. She had many students who possessed similar qualities. They were frequently a double-edged sword, both a blessing and a curse.

"He no more than a boy," Thorin shook his head. His voice remained low, as if it would remain steady if it were closer to the ground. "Yet he insisted on accompanying us to the East-gate of Moria in the valley of Azanulbizar."

A frown touched Ariana's face, displaying her confusion. Thorin noticed, but chose to forgo an elaborated explanation. He struggled, unable to find the words to properly articulate his thoughts.

Finally he sighed, rubbed a hand across his eyes and said, "He died along with many of our kin."

Thorin fell silent and a pang hit Ariana in the middle of her core. Different from worry or concern, it was far sharper. She lowered her eyes, unsure of what to say. There were few words for situations such as these.

"I'm sorry," Ariana said, lamely. It was the expected response, but she raised her eyes trying to convey her sincerity.

Thorin met her gaze and nodded slowly, accepting her sympathy. Embarrassment blossomed in her cheeks and she looked down at her interlocked fingers. The depth of emotions that she had seen reciprocated in his eyes made her fidget.

The buzz of her phone made Ariana jump. She muttered to try and sooth her alarm while pulling it from her pocket. Peering at the screen, she jabbed a button and put the phone to her ear. Remembering her manners, she mouthed a silent "sorry" to Thorin.

"Hey Kate," she pressed a finger to her opposite ear, attempting to hear over the hum. "Yeah, I found him…over at the Forest. No, no, no! Don't come! We are…erm actually just heading out. Yeah. No, we'll see you at home. Okay. Bye."

Ending the call, Ariana turned to Thorin. She shot him an apologetic shrug over the empty glasses and grease-stained basket.

"I suppose we better go," she said as a slight ping of regret floated through her thoughts.

Before she had time to consider her own emotions, Thorin stood in agreement. She jumped up after him while he stretched. A flourish of his arm gestured for her to lead the way. Ariana strove to ignore the glances, whistles and comments that came from the bar as they left. She gave a stiff wave, which received boisterous laughs and a thumbs-up. Ducking her head, she wove between the remainder of the people. She wanted to leave the bar and the uncomfortable situation as quickly as possible.

The fresh, chilled air rushed into her lungs. Her head welcomed the relief as Ariana paused to ensure that Thorin followed her. A moment after he stepped out next to her, she began walking towards home. The pair strode side by side. Despite the buzz lingering in the streets, Ariana enjoyed the quiet between the two of them; it opened an opportunity for her to think.

Musing to herself, Ariana realized she had forgotten her original intent of remaining in the bar. She aimed to utilize Thorin's talkative mood and pry information from him, preferably the truth. He had spoken more in this one sitting than the sum of all their previous conversations. The drinks and a bit of subtle encouragement revealed the existence of his family as well as other useful insights. A small smile gently lit her face merely thinking at the way he spoke, so uncharacteristically animated and pleasant.

Slowly a frown marred her features as she realized that she had nearly believed him. She had almost been convinced of the existence dwarves and of mountains overflowing with gold. This startled her. His words had seemed so genuine, yet her reason forced her to consider the validity of his words. Somehow, Thorin managed to make the unbelievable plausible. Ariana was torn. She had seen the honesty in his eyes. Nevertheless, it was impossible to know what was true, much less discern between the various shades between reality and fabrications. Her mind condemned him for his lies and though she was loath to admit it, a deep part of her heart longed to believe him completely.

Sighing heavily, she glanced at the man walking beside her. His footsteps were purposeful and strong, mirroring his personality. The ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Even after a bit of liquid honesty, Ariana remained unable to untangle the mystery of Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror.


End file.
